Hibs manager Neil Lennon doesn’t think Scotland can call itself a progressive country given his experiences of what he described as sectarian and racist abuse.

Lennon was struck by a coin thrown from the Hearts support during Wednesday’s Edinburgh derby, while graffiti that read “hang Neil Lennon” appeared on a wall on Russell Road, just around the corner from Tynecastle.

The former Celtic player and manager, who has been based in Scotland for 18 years, completely rejected the suggestions from some quarters that he brings some of it on himself.

He said: “There was graffiti before the game outside Tynecastle, you all know what it said. Do I bring that on myself as the Hibs manager, is there any reason why people would write that?

A piece of disturbing graffitti saying 'HANG NEIL LENNON' has been spotted on a wall in the Russell Road area of Edinburgh (Image: Edinburgh Evening News/SWNS.COM)

“For me it’s racism, you call it sectarianism here but I call it racism. If a black person is abused, you’re abusing the colour of their skin, their culture and heritage and I get that more or less every week.

“I get called fenian, pauper, beggar - those types of words.

“You have to sit on your hands sometimes and take it but what it tells me about the people who are saying it is they have this outdated sense entitlement or superiority complex and because I have the gall to stand up for myself, then I bring it all on myself.

“We are not progressive. The mindset says we are not progressive. You can point a lot of things but ultimately it comes from the home. I’m not saying there is not bigotry within the Celtic support and maybe an element in the Hibs support. I’m not saying that.

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“I’m talking about my own individual circumstances. I find it very distasteful still. You see all these political adverts about being one Scotland, one democracy. It’s certainly not when it comes to me.

“I think the graffiti is more serious. The motivation behind that is what? It’s racism. We call it sectarianism here but for me it’s racism.”

“[It’s]Scottish society’s problem. It’s impossible for two clubs to sort it out.

“People use football as an excuse, a vehicle for religious connotations, personal connotations but it comes from the home.

“You see young people doing the same thing and I feel sorry for them to think throwing things on a pitch is a badge of honour.

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“It’s not, they will grow out of it eventually but it’s the original point of thought that’s the worry."

Former Celtic teammate Gary Caldwell, who was a BBC Radio Scotland pundit for Wednesday’s derby, had said that Lennon’s behaviour meant that he invited such reactions from supporters. Again, Lennon vehemently denied that.

He added: “Obviously we’re touching on the Gary Caldwell comments and first of all it’s not good enough.

“I think he knows that and I think it portrays a mindset of the wrong thing. Derek (McInnes, Aberdeen manager who defended Lennon] has already come out and given his opinion, I’ve had people from Partick Thistle calling me and things are fine and I’ve got a good relationship with the people there.

“He’s made a mistake, we all make mistakes and it’s done with and move on.”

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Lennon made the point that he doesn’t feel the issue of sectarianism is exclusively a Glaswegian problem. “That graffiti is not in Glasgow,” he said. "That puts to bed any talk that it's a Glasgow or west of Scotland problem.

He also believes there is a public portrayal of him, due to his background, that is false. “My thoughts are my own but people second guess them and most of the time get it totally wrong,” he explained.

“Again this is the way you are portrayed, because I am an Irish Catholic who played for Celtic I’m this and that and the other, It’s their problem, not mine.

What I am is a competitor, 'how dare you go into your stadium and win, how dare you stand up to the abuse I am giving you, who do you think you are? Stand down, know your place.”